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About

Meier Tzelniker on stage in the New Yiddish Theatre Company’s performance of The Merchant of Venice. Abish Meisels can be seen in the prompt box.

Welcome to Hidden Treasures, a gateway to British archives with collections that explore the rich history of Jewish life in the UK and the Isle of Man, and the contribution of Jews to all regions and aspects of British life.

Jews have lived in the UK at least since the Norman Conquest of 1066, when William I brought Jews from Rouen over with him to England. But Anglo-Jewish history can be difficult to uncover and presents challenges: for example, language and ritual.

Our network provides support to archives and libraries who would like to know more about their Jewish collections and make connections with their local Jewish communities. We offer features such as ‘Ask the expert,’ information on how to translate, catalogue and understand your Jewish material, information about Jewish traditions and faith, plus other tips, ideas and blog posts featuring Jewish treasures from featured archives. 

Dutch Cigar Makers’ Sabbath meal, C19 • Sandys Row Archive

This site holds a vast range of material from over 60 archives, each offering a unique glimpse into the dynamic and ever-changing narrative of British Jewry. Discover and connect with the stories, artefacts and records that have shaped this rich heritage. Be inspired to visit to find out more.

Showcased here are a great range of items from esteemed national institutions, regional records offices, specialist libraries, grassroots initiatives, community and private collections. The digital treasure trove of material here includes handwritten correspondences, evocative ephemera, personal chronicles, ancient manuscripts, Judaica, oral testimony, community records, maps, images and much more besides.

Expulsion of the Jews from Britain • The Tower of London Archives

Explore the ever-evolving narrative of Jewish life in Britain through our featured highlights which range from historic artefacts such as Menasseh ben Israel’s petition to Oliver Cromwell in 1655, which led to the readmission of Jews to the UK  to treasured photographic collections such as The Brady Club’s community archive that shares the story of Jewish youth.  

Originally launched in 2020 as a project of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, Hidden Treasures is now managed by the Rothschild Foundation Hanadiv Europe If you are an institution, organisation or community group with collections that relate to the history of Jews in Britain, please get in touch

 

Follow us: on FacebookTwitter and Instagram to receive updates on events and tips for creating and caring for your archive.

 

The following archives are already a part of the Hidden Treasures network:

•A• AJR Refugee Voices •B• Ben Uri ArchiveBFI National ArchiveBirmingham Hebrew Congregation CollectionsBrady Photographic ArchiveBrent Museum and ArchiveBritish Library’s Hebrew Collection •C• Cairo Genizah CollectionCamden Local Studies and Archives •D• Dorset County Archive •G• Gathering the VoicesGerman-Jewish Archives at The Keep, University of Sussex •H• Hackney ArchivesHesped.orgHolocaust Centre North (Huddersfield)Hull History Centre •I• Imperial War Museum •J• Jewish Chronicle ArchiveJewish Communities & Records – United KingdomJewish Genealogical Society of Great BritainJewish Gilroes • Jewish History Association of South WalesJewish Military MuseumJewish Museum, LondonJohn Rylands Library at The University of ManchesterJewish Music Institute Archive •L• Lambeth Palace LibraryLeeds Jewish ArchiveLeo Baeck College LibraryLiberal Judaism ArchiveLily’s Legacy ProjectLondon School of Jewish Studies •M• Manchester City ArchivesManchester Grammar School ArchiveManchester Jewish MuseumManx National Heritage Library & ArchivesMemory Map of the Jewish East EndMerseyside Jewish Community Archive •N• National Register of Memorial BoardsNorthern Ireland Jewish Heritage •P• Parliamentary ArchivesPlymouth Archives at The Box •Q• Queen’s University Belfast, Special Collections & Archive •R• Rainbow JewsRedbridge Museum & Heritage CentreRemembering the Jews of WW2 •S• Sandys Row ArchiveScottish Jewish Archives CentreSephardi Voices UKSheffield City Archives & Local Study LibrarySir Nicholas Winton ArchiveSouthampton Anglo-Jewish ArchivesSt Albans Masorti Synagogue RootsSurrey History Centre •T• Tales of Jewish SudanTate ArchiveThe London ArchivesThe National ArchivesThe Salomons MuseumThe Rothschild ArchiveThe Waddesdon Archive at Windmill HillTower Hamlets Local History Library & ArchivesTyne & Wear Archives •U• UCL Special CollectionsUniversity of Leeds Special Collections •W• We Were There TooWest Yorkshire Archive ServiceWiener Holocaust LibraryWorld Jewish Relief ArchivesWorld ORT Archive